Does pomegranate increase testosterone?

Not as a fruit or a juice, as far as anyone has tested. We found no randomized trial of pomegranate fruit or juice that measured resting testosterone in ordinary men. The rises in men come from one capsule of pomegranate rind and cocoa seed extract, tested by its own manufacturer: in 120 men aged 36 to 55 it raised total testosterone by 21 to 25 percent from their starting level over 56 days. A 2024 systematic review of 52 studies on 27 marketed testosterone boosters rated that blend only possibly effective, and only in men with late-onset hypogonadism.

Myth. A glass of pomegranate juice is not a testosterone booster on the evidence we have. The one trial that gave juice to men and measured testosterone, in 9 elite weightlifters, found it lower 3 minutes after training than on placebo. In women with polycystic ovary syndrome, a 2025 meta-analysis of 2 trials in 85 women found juice lowered testosterone slightly over 8 weeks.

What the trials found

The rind and cocoa capsule

Two randomized trials of 120 men each tested the same product, a blend of pomegranate fruit rind and cocoa seed extracts sold to supplement makers. In healthy men aged 21 to 35, 400 mg a day for 56 days raised total testosterone against placebo. The abstract does not say by how much, and we could not get the full text. In men aged 36 to 55 with symptoms of aging, free testosterone rose 39 to 48 percent and total testosterone 21 to 25 percent from their own baseline. Those are changes within each group, measured only in the men who finished, and they are not the same as a difference from placebo.

Both trials came from the manufacturer's own research center, and nobody has repeated them independently. The capsule is standardized to its rind compounds and has no counterpart at the fruit counter, so these results say nothing about eating pomegranates.

A third trial of the same blend, in 120 older men with mild erectile dysfunction, gave 400 mg a day for 84 days. Erectile function scores rose 72 percent on the capsule and 36 percent on placebo, a large placebo response. Testosterone was an entry condition in that trial, and the results section does not report it as an outcome.

Juice

The juice evidence in men is thin and does not point upward. In a crossover trial of 53 men with mild to moderate erectile dysfunction, 4 weeks of juice did not significantly improve erections against placebo (P=0.058), and testosterone was not measured. In the 9 weightlifters, plasma testosterone after a session was lower with juice. That is a short-term reading after exercise in a very small group.

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Here a fall in testosterone is the goal. Pooling 2 Iranian trials in 85 overweight women, juice daily for 8 weeks lowered testosterone, with a mean difference of -0.05 (95% CI -0.07 to -0.03), and the review does not name the unit in that section. In one of the two trials, 92 women, testosterone fell in the arms that got a synbiotic drink with or without pomegranate, and plain juice was not reported among the significant changes. So the probiotic may be doing the work.

Sperm, with a second herb

In 70 men from couples seeking fertility help in Denmark, 3 months of pomegranate extract tablets with galangal powder raised the total motile sperm count by 62 percent, against 20 percent on placebo. The tablets combined two plants, so the pomegranate share is unknown. Testosterone was not the outcome.

Who should be careful

In the capsule trials, adverse events were few and minor over 8 to 12 weeks. Over 56 days in 120 men there were five in total, among them fever, constipation and diarrhea, and blood counts, liver and kidney markers stayed normal. In the 84-day trial three men on the capsule reported vomiting, nausea or headache, against two on placebo with bloating or abdominal pain. Those trials excluded men on other medicines, so they say nothing about the capsule alongside drugs for erections or blood pressure, and nobody tested it in men with prostate cancer or on testosterone therapy.

Not for everyone. If you take warfarin, keep the amount of pomegranate juice steady. In one reported case a 64-year-old woman on warfarin who drank the juice two to three times a week saw her INR fall below target after she stopped it. That is a single case, and controlled studies have not shown the juice changing warfarin breakdown. Any change in how much you drink is worth an INR check.

What expert bodies say

We found no position from a health body on pomegranate and testosterone. The EU register of health claims lists the claim that pomegranate contributes to healthy sexual function in men as non-authorized, and none of its 11 pomegranate entries is authorized. A refusal means the evidence submitted did not convince the regulator. It is not a finding that the effect is absent.

How we searched

What would change this answer

• An independent trial of the rind and cocoa capsule, run by people who do not sell it, with testosterone compared against placebo.
• Any randomized trial of whole pomegranate or juice with resting total testosterone as the main outcome in men with low testosterone. We found none registered in our copy of ClinicalTrials.gov.
• The full text of the 2024 booster review, which would show how much evidence its rating for the blend rests on.

More on the fruit and the juice themselves: Pomegranate and Pomegranate juice.

Sources

1. ev-pomt-01 · Meta-analysis or systematic review · systematic review · n = 52 studies
   Eurycoma longifolia, a blend of Punica granatum fruit rind and Theobroma cacao seed extracts (Tesnor™) and purified Shilajit extract (PrimaVie™) can be considered possibly effective for men with late-onset hypogonadism; Eurycoma longifolia and Withania somnifera possibly effective for healthy men; and a non-hormonal aromatase inhibitor (Novadex XT™) possibly effective for male athletes.
   
   Who: Male athletes, men with late-onset hypogonadism, infertile men and healthy men in studies of testosterone boosters versus placebo, last two decades
   Effect: most boosters did not increase total testosterone; the Punica granatum rind plus Theobroma cacao blend (Tesnor) was graded possibly effective for late-onset hypogonadism only; no pomegranate fruit or juice study listed
   Certainty: Systematic review without a pool; "possibly effective" = one or two RCTs, no meta-analysis. No full text (no_pmc), so how many studies stand behind the mixture was not seen. This is a peel extract in a capsule, not juice and not the fruit.
   Int J Impot Res, 2024 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
2. ev-pomt-02 · Meta-analysis or systematic review · systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials · n = 85
   Decreased significantly (MD: −0.05; 95% CI: −0.07 to −0.03; p < 0.0001; I2 = 0%, two studies, 85 participants).
   
   Who: Overweight women aged 15-48 with PCOS (Rotterdam criteria), Iran; juice daily for eight weeks
   Effect: testosterone MD -0.05 (95% CI -0.07 to -0.03), I2 0%, two studies; rated high-quality evidence by the authors
   Certainty: The direction is opposite to the question: in women with PCOS the juice LOWERS testosterone, and that is the desired effect there. Only 4 studies in the review, 2 in the testosterone pool, one Iranian group; units not named in the section text. Data not about men.
   Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2025 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the fulltext
3. ev-pomt-03 · Randomized controlled trial(s) · randomized, triple-blind, controlled parallel trial · n = 92
   Testosterone level also decreased significantly in the SPJ and SB groups.
   
   Who: Women with polycystic ovary syndrome, Iran; 2.1 quarts (2 L) of beverage weekly, four arms of 23
   Effect: testosterone decreased significantly in the synbiotic pomegranate juice and synbiotic beverage arms only; plain juice arm not named among significant changes
   Certainty: The effect comes with the probiotic/inulin, not with pomegranate: a synbiotic drink without pomegranate gave the same. One of the two RCTs in the ev-pomt-02 pool.
   Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis, 2019 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
4. ev-pomt-04 · Randomized controlled trial(s) · randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial · n = 120
   The high dose group showed significant increases in total testosterone (p < 0.0001 vs. baseline; p = 0.0184 vs. placebo) and luteinizing hormone (p < 0.0007 vs. baseline; p = 0.0470 vs. placebo).
   
   Who: Healthy male volunteers aged 21-35; placebo, 200 mg or 400 mg LN18178 daily, 40 per group
   Effect: free testosterone up with both doses (p = 0.0268 and p < 0.0001 vs placebo); total testosterone up only with 400 mg (p = 0.0184 vs placebo); size of change not in abstract
   Certainty: Manufacturer's product (LN18178/Tesnor, Laila Nutraceuticals), trial from the same center; no independent replications. Peel extract, not fruit or juice. No full text (no_pmc), the size of the change was not seen.
   Journal of Dietary Supplements, 2023 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
5. ev-pomt-05 · Randomized controlled trial(s) · randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial · n = 120
   LN18178 supplementation significantly increased the FT level by 39.16% and 48.28%; the TT level by 21.39% and 24.56% in 200- and 400 mg groups, respectively, from baseline.
   
   Who: Healthy men aged 36-55, BMI 20-29, aging males' symptoms score 27-43, three sites in Bengaluru, India; 200 mg or 400 mg LN18178 or placebo daily
   Effect: free testosterone +39.16% and +48.28%, total testosterone +21.39% and +24.56% from baseline in 200 mg and 400 mg groups; DHT, cortisol and estradiol unchanged; 115 completed, per-protocol analysis
   Certainty: Percent from baseline, not a difference from placebo; per-protocol analysis. The product was developed in the manufacturer's R&D center (Laila), the same manufacturer. Standardized to ≥3.5% punicalagins and 0.5% theobromine per capsule; not comparable to food.
   International Journal of Medical Sciences, 2022 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the fulltext
6. ev-pomt-06 · Randomized controlled trial(s) · randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial · n = 120
   Overall, the participants reported only five minor adverse events: fever, cough & cold, constipation, and diarrhea during the study (Table 7).
   
   Who: Healthy men aged 36-55 taking 200 mg or 400 mg LN18178 or placebo daily for 56 days
   Effect: hematology, clinical chemistry, Cr, AST, ALT, ALP, BUN within normal ranges; five minor adverse events in total (fever, cough and cold, constipation, diarrhea)
   Certainty: 8 weeks, healthy men; no longer safety data. Men with prostate cancer, on anticoagulants or on testosterone replacement therapy were not studied.
   International Journal of Medical Sciences, 2022 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the fulltext
7. ev-pomt-07 · Randomized controlled trial(s) · randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial · n = 120
   LN18178 supplementation increased the total IIEF scores by 21.25%, 42.30%, and 72.02%.
   
   Who: Aging men with mild erectile dysfunction (IIEF 17-25), low sexual desire and serum total testosterone at least 300 ng/dL; 60 per group
   Effect: total IIEF +21.25%, +42.30%, +72.02% with LN18178 vs +6.79%, +18.80%, +35.97% with placebo on days 14, 42, 84 (P < 0.0001 between groups)
   Certainty: Testosterone here is only an inclusion criterion (≥300 ng/dL), not reported as an endpoint in the results section. Large placebo effect; Cohen's d up to 3.98 is implausibly large for a supplement. Same manufacturer.
   International Journal of Medical Sciences, 2025 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the fulltext
8. ev-pomt-08 · Randomized controlled trial(s) · randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial · n = 120
   During the intervention, in the placebo, two subjects (one each) reported bloating and abdominal pain), and in the LN18178 group, three subjects (one each) reported an incidence of vomiting, nausea, or headache.
   
   Who: Aging men with mild erectile dysfunction taking 400 mg LN18178 or placebo daily for 84 days
   Effect: 3 minor adverse events with LN18178 vs 2 with placebo; no concomitant medication reported
   Certainty: Participants without concomitant medications, so there is no data on interactions with ED or blood pressure drugs.
   International Journal of Medical Sciences, 2025 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the fulltext
9. ev-pomt-09 · Randomized controlled trial(s) · randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover trial · n = 53
   Subjects were more likely to have improved scores when pomegranate juice was consumed (P=0.058).
   
   Who: Men with mild to moderate erectile dysfunction; two 4-week periods separated by a 2-week washout
   Effect: 25 of 42 men who improved on the global assessment did so on juice; P=0.058, not significant
   Certainty: Pilot, POM Wonderful juice; testosterone not measured. Negative result, although the authors present it as a "trend".
   International Journal of Impotence Research, 2007 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
10. ev-pomt-10 · Randomized controlled trial(s) · double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial · n = 9
    Compared to PLA, a lower level of plasma testosterone [T] was registered 3 min post exercise using POMj supplementation (p = 0.012) and a significant decrease (p = 0.04, %change = - 14%) in plasma [Hcy] was registered during the 48 h recovery period only using POMj.
    
    Who: Nine elite weightlifters aged about 21; two Olympic-weightlifting sessions after juice or placebo
    Effect: plasma testosterone lower with juice than placebo 3 min post exercise (p = 0.012); no difference in 48 h recovery
    Certainty: Very small sample, acute effect after exercise; plasma testosterone does not equal anabolism. The only RCT where pomegranate juice and testosterone in men were measured directly, and there it is a decrease, not an increase.
    J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 2020 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
11. ev-pomt-11 · Randomized controlled trial(s) · prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial · n = 70
    Treatment with standardised amounts of P. granatum extract and A. galanga powder for three months induced a 62% increase in the average total number of motile sperm (from 23.4 millions to 37.8 millions) which was a significantly higher increase than in the placebo group (20%: from 19.9 millions to 23.9 millions), p = 0.026 (Table 2).
    
    Who: Adult men, mean age 29, Denmark; 66 received pomegranate fruit extract plus Alpinia galanga powder or placebo for three months
    Effect: total motile sperm count 23.4 to 37.8 million (+62%) vs 19.9 to 23.9 million (+20%) with placebo, p = 0.026
    Certainty: Combination with galangal, the separate contribution of pomegranate is unknown; semen, not testosterone. Pregnancy was not assessed as an endpoint.
    PLoS One, 2014 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the fulltext
12. ev-pomt-12 · Randomized controlled trial(s) · prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial · n = 38
    One participant from the active treatment group reported side effects in the form of irregular defecation, diarrhoea, and increased flatulence,
    
    Who: Adult men taking pomegranate extract plus galangal or placebo for three months; 38 returned the side-effect questionnaire
    Effect: gastrointestinal complaints in one participant on active tablets; influenza-like symptoms in two active and one placebo
    Certainty: Only 57.6% returned the questionnaire; rare side effects are not detected with such a sample.
    PLoS One, 2014 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the fulltext
13. ev-pomt-13 · Laboratory or animal data · case report · n = 1
    She stopped drinking the juice, and her INRs became subtherapeutic.
    
    Who: One 64-year-old woman on warfarin 4 mg/day for recurrent deep vein thrombosis
    Effect: subtherapeutic INR after stopping juice; warfarin dose increased; possible relationship by Drug Interaction Probability Scale
    Certainty: A single case; controlled PK studies found no effect on CYP2C9 (cards_daily_pomegranate_juice). Practically: people on warfarin should not abruptly change the amount of juice or supplement without INR monitoring.
    Pharmacotherapy, 2009 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
14. ev-pomt-14 · Position of an expert body · regulatory register entry
    POL-HC-7792 Pomegranate Helps to maintain a healthy prostate. Contributes to healthy sexual function in men. Non-authorised
    
    Who: EU Register on nutrition and health claims, all consumers
    Effect: claim POL-HC-7792 on prostate health and male sexual function: Non-authorized; no authorized pomegranate claim among 11 entries
    Certainty: Rejection means the dossier did not convince, not that there is no effect; the reasons are not in the snapshot.
    EU Register on nutrition and health claims, claim POL-HC-7792, snapshot of 2026-09-21 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the row